A large group of bystanders gathered at Pipeline Beach in Amanzimtoti, south of Durban, on Tuesday where a beached whale calf carcass was found.
The calf is thought to have washed up before 08:00.
READ: 18m humpback whale carcass towed to Hout Bay harbour
Police Search and Rescue have taken over the scene and the eThekwini Municipality is expected to bring in tractors to drag the whale out of the water.
The eThekwini Garden and Trim Unit is also expected to be called in to cut up the meat for distribution to locals.
The KwaZulu-Natal Sharks Board is expected to either remove the skeleton or tow it out to sea to dump off the reef.
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